Re: Is this a nationwide trend, or just here?
 

Actually i like hectic that's why I'm leaning towards the ER. Besides at 51 y.o. already I'll be ready to retire before I can completely burn out!

If I had more time I might consider the PA route though.

Re: Is this a nationwide trend, or just here?
 

Although I suspect most practicing physicians have days when "quitting" crosses their minds the vast majority do NOT quit for many reasons, not the least of which is a devotion to medicine. Remember, at THE VERY LEAST, all practicing physicians have 11 years of education after high school invested in their profession. The true practice of medicine is rewarding beyond description. Unfortunately, the lay public isn't aware of the medicao-legal and 3rd party (insurance companies... especially Medicare) intrusion into and near destruction of what the practice of medicine once was. Now, when a doctor thinks a study or procedure is indicated, he/she has to get "prior authorization"... which means essentially begging some non-physician functionary to allow the procedure. It wastes hours daily and comes right out of the doctors pocket. Most offices have had to hire personnel just to do prior auths. That's just one very annoying thing your doctor puts up with,day in and day out. The cost to do the mountains of paperwork to practice is breaking the backs of most practices. Medicare has over 100,000 pages of guidelines for doctors on how to document correctly to avoid a problemmatic audit. You, the patient, gets lost in this mess and now the system is imploding. It's been sad to watch this happen.

Re: Is this a nationwide trend, or just here?
 

rshoffer, true, true and more true.

its really scary, you have been doing this longer than me and really have watched as this "system" crumbles around us. the govt and media have done a fair job hiding the depth of the crisis from the lay public thus far, but it cant last a lot longer.
i personally think we will have no choice but to end up with some nationalized plan. Heck we already have it, it called th E.R.

Re: Is this a nationwide trend, or just here?
 

I was a U.S. Army doctor for 9 years ('76-'85) before I foolishly left for "private practice". My 9 years as an Army physician were the best and most rewarding of my medical career. The quality of care was superb, insurance was not an issue and the new private got the same care as a bird Col. (except the Col might get flowers on his meal tray). I am 100% for a single payor form of health coverage. There is a groundswell of physicians in support of this... something which would have been anathama 10 years ago. It's interesting that healthcare is NOT an election issue now that gas is 4 dollars a gallon. In the meantime, I love seeing my patients and probably will never fully retire, even if it was economically realistic. But, the battle goes on with "the beancounters" who delude themselves and their customers into thinking that they are there to "control costs". Wrong--- they've become part of the problem rather than part of the solution. My plea to disheartened or disgrunteled patients is to speak to your doctor when things in the office are not what you think they should be, but to also try to understand he/she are fighting battles and fires on many fronts and are weary.

Re: Is this a nationwide trend, or just here?
 

I talked with my doctor today about the answering machine debacle. He said the right things, took ownership of the mistake and announced what I think will be a fantastic solution to this part of the overall problem.

By the first of next year, they will have an on-line, patient interactive, appointment system. I will be able to go to their site and schedule my own appointment, view my records or print any material that pertains to me.

It sounds like this solution of one portion of the overall complications is a winner.

JLK

Re: Is this a nationwide trend, or just here?
 

fantastic, Jan..... So good to hear that your doctor is joining the winners' circle for providers. As I had mentioned before, this website-patient system has been here in Boston at least since I've been on the scene from 2005. That is wonderful news and let's hope that it will spread to more providers. It is a great improvement in the ability to correspond with the providers, as well as have your medical history at your perusal.

Re: Is this a nationwide trend, or just here?
 

Speaking of medical history. The day will come in the not too distant future, that we will all be carring around our history (with MRI scans, x-rays etc.) on our own smart cards. Right now the specialist you go to may not have instant access to your records if they are from another health care system. This system works in many countries that have National Health systems such as Great Britain. Our privacy laws are much stricter but it would be a good thing in my opinion.